NCT06255158

Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of the INSIGHT Program

The Effectiveness of an Individualized Intervention for Perpetrators of Child Sexual Abuse

• Status: Unknown
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 30 (estimated)
• Sponsor: University of Minho · Academic / Other
• Sex: Male
• Age: —
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

This randomized controlled trial aimed to assess the efficacy of a new intervention program for perpetrators of child sexual abuse: the INSIGHT Program. The primary outcome measures to assessing INSIGHT effectiveness will include psychological symptoms, EMSs, cognitive distortions, interpersonal problems, self-esteem, victim empathy, and empathy, and sexual violence risk. Then, qualitative interviews will enable an in-depth examination of the therapeutic process and its effects.

Detailed description

Perpetrators of CSA will be recruited from Portuguese Prisons. Potential participants who are likely to meet inclusion criteria will be identified and referred to study staff by prison members. Participants who agreed to participate gave written informed consent, completed the baseline assessment, and were randomly assigned to treatment conditions (treatment and control groups) using a random number table by a research assistant who was blind to any information about each participant. Besides baseline assessment, participants completed the post-treatment assessment (at the end of INSIGHT Program) and follow-up assessment (3 months after INSIGHT completion). The program's structured and manualized design ensures integrity, at least partially.

Conditions

• Deviant Sexual Behavior

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	INSIGHT Program	INSIGHT Program: the program targets the reduction of EMSs' interference in social information processing, which may otherwise lead to the use of deviant behavior to fulfill emotional and sexual needs. Furthermore, the program has specific goals: (1) developing insight about the offense cycle; (2) fostering empathy for victims; (3) enhancing intimate and social/ interpersonal skills; (4) increasing emotional regulation skills.
OTHER	Treatment As Usual (TAU)	TAU in Portuguese prisons is primarily aimed to increase educational and professional qualifications

Timeline

• Start date: 2022-10-01
• Primary completion: 2023-05-30
• Completion: 2024-09-01
• First posted: 2024-02-13
• Last updated: 2024-02-13

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Portugal